Barnard College Barnard College
Residential Life & Housing > New Students

What to Bring (and What to Leave at Home)

Student rooms are furnished. Each student is provided with the following:

  • Extra-long twin bed and mattress (39"x80")
    • some beds at 110th St. College Residence are standard twin size
  • Desk & Chair
  • Clothing storage (dresser/drawer space and closet or wardrobe space)

Recommended items for all students:

  • Bedding (extra-long twin sheets, 39"x80"), blankets/comforter, pillows, towels
  • Flip-flops & shower caddy
  • Laundry items (basket, detergent, iron*)
    • Note: only irons with an automatic shut-off feature are permitted
  • Emergency kit (see below)
  • Renter's Insurance: if your family homeowner's or renter's insurance does not extend to cover you while away at school, we strongly encourage you to look into purchasing renter's insurance.  The College accepts no responsibility for the loss of or damage to a student’s personal property, including (but not limited to) fire, theft, water damage, and the elements.  [More Information]

Listed below are some additional items you may want to bring with you to make your life in campus housing more comfortable. Bring only what can fit in your room—the residential communities have no storage space for your personal belongings.

  • Only electrical items that are UL-Listed 
  • Air purifier (if you are prone to allergies)
  • Alarm clock
  • Bathrobe, towels (hand towels, wash cloths, bath towels), shower shoes
  • Book bag or knapsack
  • Cleaning supplies (broom and dustpan, glass cleaner, sponges, small trash bags)
  • Computer/laptop, printer, USB drive
  • Decorations (pictures, plants, posters, area rug)
  • Desk supplies (pens, pencils, eraser, glue, scissors, highlighters, notebooks, tape, thumbtacks, stapler)
  • Ear plugs, headphones
  • Fan (most residence halls do not have AC and neither window nor portable AC units are permitted)
  • First Aid kit
  • Lamp (no halogen lights allowed)
  • Over-the-door hanging mirror (note: mirrors may not be fastened to the walls or furniture)
  • Plate, cups, silverware
  • Rain gear, umbrella
  • Refrigerator (small cube fridge or rent one from Collegiate Storage & Rental, maximum allowed size is 3.5 cubic feet & "microfridges" with a built in microwave are prohibited)
  • Reusable/refillable water bottle
  • Storage crates
  • Surge protector power strip (regular extension cords are not permitted)
  • American power adapters (if bringing appliances from other countries)
  • Vacuum

The safety of our students while on campus is always our primary concern. Should a natural disaster, severe weather conditions ,or other unforeseen emergency occur, it may be necessary for students to be self-sufficient for a short period of time. To that end, all students should bring an emergency supply kit to meet their personal needs.

The kit should be stored in your room where you can grab it if needed during an evacuation.

Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

  • Large backpack to hold your supplies
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio or a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Dust masks to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting & duct tape to shelter-in-place
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Sturdy hiking boots or other shoes
  • Extra clothes, including rain gear
  • Emergency phone numbers for your family & friends
  • Packaged/non-perishable snacks/food
  • Reusable water bottle

Additional Items to Consider Adding to your Emergency Supply Kit:

  • Cash (small bills)
  • Copy of medical insurance card
  • Map of the city/region
  • Prescription medications and glasses
  • Sleeping bag or warm/emergency blanket
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
  • Paper and pencil
  • Books, cards, non-electric games, puzzles or other activities to pass the time

For more information, please visit the NYC Emergency Management website.

Please consider bringing your materials in reusable storage containers rather than disposable cardboard boxes. Reusable containers can serve as storage for you throughout the year and help you during move-out. If you do bring cardboard boxes to campus, you will need to flatten them & take them to the recycling location in the basement.

Fragile materials? Instead of purchasing Styrofoam peanuts that do not break down in landfills, try packing with your clothes or towels. You can also use newspaper which can be recycled when you finish unpacking.

  • All of your books and notes from high school
  • Your entire wardrobe
  • Ethernet cords (campus has WiFi, with the exception of Cathedral Gardens)
  • Quarters (the cost of laundry is included in your room price)

There will be limited space in your room, so we encourage you not to overpack. Items you may need later can be bought locally or ordered online. Make your move-in motto: "When in doubt, leave it out!"

For the full list of items not allowed in the residence halls, please visit http://barnard.edu/reslife/policies/prohibited-items